Homemade Pesto

User Reviews

5

6 reviews
Excellent

Homemade Pesto

Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce made with fresh basil, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. This pesto sauce is the best recipe and can be used on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, or to be used as a dip with rustic French bread.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 2 1/2 cups basil tightly packed, leaves
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese or parmigiano reggiano
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, add fresh basil, pine nuts, and garlic and pulse several times.
  2. Add freshly grated cheese and pulse several times, scraping the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixing well.
  3. Keep pulsing the food processor or turn it on and slowly add the extra-virgin olive oil. It is important to slowly add it while the food processor is on as it helps to keep the extra-virgin olive oil from separating.
  4. Add salt and pepper and add more to taste.
  5. Tightly cover the basil pesto as it will start to oxidize and turn a greenish-brown color if exposed to too much air.
Equipments used:

Notes

  • Yes! Even though pine nuts are traditionally used in a homemade pesto sauce, you can substitute the pine nuts in a pesto recipe with walnuts or almonds. 
  • I suggest using freshly grated Parmesan Cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese. When you freshly grate parmesan cheese, it is much fresher and isn't coated with an ingredient to keep it from sticking. If you want to really up the flavor of this fresh basil pesto sauce, I suggest using Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
  • Yes! The baby spinach leaves can mellow out the strong basil flavor. According to the Food Lab, he prefers a balance of spinach and basil and uses 2 parts basil to 1 part baby spinach leaves. If you want to use spinach, I would suggest using 2 cups of fresh basil and 1/2 cup of baby spinach. 
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Excellent

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